The present invention relates generally to devices for storing and displaying items of jewelry, and more particularly to such a storage and display device which can be used in the typical fashion for display purposes and can be compactly nested with similar devices for easy storage.
While jewelry items can be stored and displayed in a variety of trays, holders or racks, the most common type of jewelry display, particularly useful for rings, is a rectangularly shaped tray having an upper surface with a plurality of slits to accommodate the circular shank portion of the ring. Trays having other shapes are also found in the art. This known tray has a depth sufficient to accommodate at least half of the diameter of the ring, or its shank portion to provide stability to the ring when it is carried in the tray. The undersurface of this known tray is usually flat for placement on a surface for display purposes. Some prior art trays of this type are provided with a downwardly extending peripheral lip. This construction permits storage with other display trays of the identical size.
Placing the upper exposed surface of such a display tray beneath and within the peripheral lip of another display tray placed on top of it provides means for storing a number of identically shaped display trays one on top of the other in a manner which prevents the upper exposed portion of the jewelry items from being damaged. In order to keep the trays spaced apart, support elements are required to be provided on the underside of the tray. In some cases the peripheral lip provides this function.
Because it is necessary to provide spacer elements between the jewelry trays of the foregoing type, when in the storage condition, these trays tend to have an overall height of almost double the height of the jewelry item carried in the tray. Accordingly, storage of a number of these trays, one on top of the other, occupies a large amount of space and tends to make these types of trays heavy, bulky and difficult to place in a storage condition. It has therefore become common practice for jewelers to store jewelry items in separate storage cases remote from the display devices. This usually requires removal of the jewelry items from the display tray, which are carried in a display case or cabinet, and storing the jewelry items in separate storage containers during periods of non display, such as overnight or over weekend periods. In order to again place the jewelry items on display, they must be individually and separately removed from storage and placed within the display tray or on a separate holder. Sometimes, the entire display tray is removed for storage.
The prior art display trays have also been found difficult to use by traveling salespeople. For the reasons discussed above, most display trays cannot be stored in a compact and space saving condition. Accordingly, use of the typically known display trays in a traveling case is inconvenient and not practical.
It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide a jewelry display device in the form of a tray which can be used both for display purposes and for compact storage with other similar display trays.
It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a jewelry display tray which has a plurality of openings on its undersurface so that it can be easily nested with other display trays for compact storage.
Another object of the invention is to provide a jewelry display tray which facilitates presentation of the jewelry item in a pleasing arrangement, so as to allow each piece to be viewed and appreciated individually, while still allowing for compact storage.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a jewelry display device which is made of materials light in weight so as to render the device usable for either display, storage or transit.
A further more specific object of the present invention is to create a jewelry storage tray which is capable of nesting with a plurality of identically constructed jewelry storage trays by taking advantage of a honeycomb cross-sectional construction between trays so that a plurality of trays can be stored in a compact fashion.
Still a further object of the invention is to provide a display tray which has great strength because of an interlocking structure between upper and lower members of the tray.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description of the invention in connection with the appended drawings, to be described more fully hereinafter.